Objective To study the relationship of carotid atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease and cerebral infarction. Methods One hundred and forty patients were divided into three groups: coronary artery disease(CAD) group,cerebral infarction(CI) group and control(C) group.All the patients accepted carotid ultrasonograph. Results The incidence of multiple plaques in carotid artery was much higher in CI group than in C group and CAD group(P

Objective To evaluate the effect of pulmonary function test on infants with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods Forty-eight patients were divided into two groups based on physical examination. Pulmonary function were measured in 48 patients. Age-matched healthy infants were enrolled as controls. The parameters included ratio of volume to PEF to total expiratory volume(VPTEF/VE,tPTEF/tE),inspiratory time/expiratory time(TI/tE),inspiratory time/total respiratory time(TI/Ttot),ratio of 50% of the tital inspiratory flow to tital volume(TIF_ 50 /V_T),mean inspiratory flow(V_T/TI),function capacity(FRCp),resistance effective(Reff).Results TI/Ttot,ratio of 50% of the tital expiratory flow to 50% of the tital inspiratory flow(TEF_ 50 /TIF_ 50 ),FRCp,Reff were significantly higher in patients compared with controls(P

OBJECTIVEFungal keratitis (FK) is a vision-threatening infection, whose treatment requires more effective and safer anti-fungal agent exploitation urgently. With this aim, we focused on the effect of an extracellular polysaccharide on fungal adhesion to human corneal epithelial cells.

METHODSWe performed the cytotoxicity assays of the extracellular polysaccharide EPS-II from an antarctic bacterium Pseudoaltermonas and evaluated its inhibitory effect on Candida albicans cells' adherence to human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs).

RESULTSEPS-II, which displayed minor cytotoxicity but also promoted proliferation of HCECs, could inhibit the adherence of yeast cells to HCECs in a dose-dependent manner. EPS-II could also suppress the subsequent PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and thereby decrease the expression of early inflammatory cytokines.

CONCLUSIONSExtracellular polysaccharide EPS-II was suggested as a new natural agent for attenuating FK.

Blotting, Western ; Candida ; drug effects ; physiology ; Cell Adhesion ; drug effects ; Cornea ; microbiology ; Humans ; Phosphorylation ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Pseudoalteromonas ; metabolism

The risk factors of high trait anger of juvenile offenders were explored through question naire study in a youth correctional facility of Hubei province,China.A total of 1090 juvenile offenders in Hubei province were investigated by self-compiled social-demographic questionnaire,Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ),and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-Ⅱ (STAXI-Ⅱ).The risk factors were analyzed by chi-square tests,correlation analysis,and binary logistic regression analysis with SPSS 19.0.A total of 1082 copies of valid questionnaires were collected.High trait anger group (n=316) was defined as those who scored in the upper 27th percentile of STAXI-Ⅱ trait anger scale (TAS),and the rest were defined as low trait anger group (n=766).The risk factors associated with high level of trait anger included:childhood emotional abuse,childhood sexual abuse,step family,frequent drug abuse,and frequent internet using (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).Birth sequence,number of sibling,ranking in the family,identity of the main care-taker,the education level of care-taker,educational style of care-taker,family income,relationship between parents,social atmosphere of local area,frequent drinking,and frequent smoking did not predict to high level of trait anger (P＞0.05).It was suggested that traumatic experience in childhood and unhealthy life style may significantly increase the level of trait anger in adulthood.The risk factors of high trait anger and their effects should be taken into consideration seriously.

Objective To observe the value of CE-MRA in differentiating secondary vascular tortuosity of the spinal cord caused by spinal vascular malformations (SCVM) or non-vascular malformations.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 30 patients suspected as SCVM.Based on the results of DSA or surgery,the patients were divided into SCVM group (n=16) or non-vascular malformation group (n=14).CE-MRA features were compared between the two groups,including the number,length,position,tortuosity degree of spinal cord tortuous vascular and whether the abnormal feeding artery existed surrounding tortuous vascular.Results Compared with non-vascular malformation group,SCVM group showed more average number of tortuous vascular [(1.38 ± 0.16) vs 1,P=0.012],longer tortuous vascular lengthy [similar lengthy of (9.68 ± 1.18) vertebral body vs(4.14±0.62) vertebral body,P＜0.001),higher score of tortuosity degree [(2.23 ± 0.22) scores vs (0.86±0.10) scores,P＜0.001] and more easier to appear abnormal feeding artery surrounding tortuous vascular [75.00％(12/16) vs28.57％(4/14),P=0.014].Furthermore,only2 cases (2/16,12.50％) of tortuous vascular located in and limited to lower thoracic vertebra (T7 T12 vertebrae) in SCVM group,while 11 cases (11/14,78.57％) in non-vascular malformation group (P=0.020).Conclusion Spinal cord secondary vascular tortuosity of SCVM can be well distinguished from that caused by non-vascular malformation with CE MRA spinal angiography.

OBJECTIVETo explore the diagnostic efficiency of circulating antigen using the TM5.28 mAB-biotin-avidin system for the detection of schistosomiasis japonica.

METHODSA mAb-biotin-avidin system was set up using a TM5.28 mAB which was prepared against a gut associated antigen of Schistosoma japonicum. Detection was performed on the sera from 50 acute schistosomiasis patients, 224 chronic patients, 49 advanced patients and 46 schistosomiasis patients who were followed up at 6 months and 12 months post treatment. In addition, 19 cases of clonorchiasis, 31 cases of paragonimiasis, 23 cases of hepatitis B and 100 healthy individuals were also included.

RESULTSThe system showed sensitivity of 83.1% and specificity of 94.0% when applied to detect chronic schistosomiasis and healthy persons respectively, while 94.0% to acute schistosomiasis. The Youden's index of the system was 0.771. The rate of cross-reaction to paragonimiasis, clonorchiasis and hepatitis B was 12.9%, 15.8% and 13.0% respectively. The rates of negative turning were 43.9% and 62.1% respectively in chronic schistosomiasis at the 6 month and 12 month intervals after treatment. Geometric mean of the OD values also decreased from 0.172 before treatment to 0.081 at 6 months and 0.068 at 12 months after treatment with a reduction rate of 60.30%. The detection rate in the heavy infected population reached a maximum of 90.0%. This was similar in moderate and light infected populations, i.e., 83.9% and 82.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe TM5.28 mAb-biotin-avidin system showed a relatively high efficiency in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis and a high negative turning rate after treatment. It is, therefore, a valuable tool for the estimation of prevalence in endemic populations, as well as individual diagnosis and for assessing the effect of chemotherapy.

Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth ; immunology ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; immunology ; Avidin ; immunology ; Biotin ; immunology ; Cell Fusion ; Humans ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Serologic Tests

OBJECTIVETo probe rational indices suitable for ecological surveillance on breeding ground for Oncomelania hupensis snails in areas prevalent with islet-type schisitosomiasis using remote sensing technology.

METHODSThree adjacent islets, prevalent with islet-type schistosomiasis, along the Yangtze River within the boundaries of Dongzhi County, Anhui Province were selected as study field for remote sensing analysis. Multi-spectral data were composed and non-supervisedly classified in computer with Idisi software for remote sensing analysis. Values of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), green vegetation index (GVI), bright index (BI), which reflect the greenness and brightness of landscape, were also calculated. Finally, all the results were comprehensively analyzed, combined with data from the field investigation.

RESULTSNDVI, GVI and BI could depict characteristics of the landscape quantitatively. Values of NDVI, BI and GVI were varied in different types of landscapes, and 95% confidence interval of these values suitable for breeding of snails was 0.0522 approximately 0.3566, 2.4162 approximately 28.2672 and 29.3404 approximately 40.3135, respectively. Classification of NDVI showed that type 5 anf type 6 were main breeding ground for snails, and type 4 with values of NDVI from 0 to 0.1 was potential areas for snail propagation. Classification of GVI showed that types 5, 6 and 7 were main breeding ground for snails, and also type 4 with values of GVI from 2 to 10 was potential areas for snail propagation. Both NDVI and GVI showed type 2 and type 3 were temporarily not suitable for snail breeding.

CONCLUSIONIndex figures of NDVI and GVI re-formed by reasonable classification could reflect not only breeding ground for snails and range of the areas for snail propagation in islets, but also their evolving rules, i.e., status of new marshland formation and vegetation growth.

Animals ; Breeding ; Ecology ; Satellite Communications ; Schistosomiasis ; transmission ; Snails ; parasitology ; physiology

Objective To investigate the interactions between histone deacetylas-1 (silent information regulator of transcription 1,SirT1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) following exposure to oxidative stress of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) cells through gene knockout and overexpression techniques.Methods RPE cell line was cultured in vitro,followed by addition of H2O2 for inducing oxidative stress.The targeting knockout strategy (siRNA/shRNA) was used for silencing SirT1/STAT3 gene and lentiviral vectors (pRC/CMV STAT3 and PCRC/CMV) were transfected to RPE cells.RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of SirT1/STAT3 due to gene knockout and overexpression and deeply analyze the effects of SirT1/STAT3 on RPE cells exposed to oxidative stress.Results SirT1 activator (resveratrol) significantly reduced the expression of STAT3 mRNA to (3.0 ± 0.2) (P =0.048);and after SifT1 knockout,the expression of STAT3 mRNA in RPE cells was significantly increased to (6.9 ± 1.1) (P =0.025).During the oxidative stress of RPE cells after SifT1 knockout,the expression of STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 protein were significantly increased to 0.990 ±0.031 and 0.544 ±0.019,respectively (P =0.000,0.003).With the condition of oxidative stress,the over-expression of STAT3 reduced the SirT1 mRNA expression to 0.42 ± 0.16 (P =0.022),but SifT1 mRNA expression was significantly increased to 2.8 ±0.85 (P =0.015) during STAT3 knockdown.Conclusion SifT1 has a negative effect on the regulation of STAT3 expression during oxidative stress,which suggests that there is an equilibrium mechanism between SirT1 and STAT3 against oxidative stress.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of herceptin(trastuzumab) plus adjuvant chemotherapy on the prognosis of patients with human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive early-stage breast cancer by Meta-analysis. METHODS: Search all of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy for HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer in MEDLINE, EMBase, Cochrane library, Clinical Trails, ASCO Conference data, CHKD, Wanfang Database, VIP information, scholar.google.com and SIGLE. A Meta-analysis was carried out by collecting information based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria from all papers available. RESULTS: The Meta-analysis included 4 trials. A total of 9116 patients were included in the analysis(4555 in the study group and 4561 in the control group). There were statistical differences between the study group(herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy) and the control group(adjuvant chemotherapy) in the disease-free survival rate [relative risk(RR)=1.08, 95% CI, 1.06-1.09, P<0.001], the overall survival rate(RR=1.01, 95% CI, 1.01-1.02, P=0.0003), the distant recurrence rate(RR=0.49, 95% CI, 0.42-0.57, P<0.001), and the cardiac events rate (RR=3.93,95% CI, 1.03-15.06, P=0.05). CONCLUSION Herceptin plus adjuvant chemotherapy can improve the disease-free survival rate and the overall survival rate, decrease distant recurrence rate of patients with HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer, but may cause heart toxicity, especially when combined with anthracycline (doxorubicin).
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Humans ; Prognosis ; Receptor, ErbB-2 ; genetics ; Trastuzumab

Abdomen ; Hernia ; Humans ; Prostheses and Implants ; Prosthesis Implantation ; Treatment Outcome